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Semi driver saved by Baxter man

The life of a semi-truck driver was saved by a Baxter man following a crash on I-40 eastbound early Wednesday morning.

Connor Smith was driving home from work on I-40 near mile marker 264 when he spotted a wrecked semi-truck in the median.

"I parked my car and ran up there and he (the driver) was stuck on the other side of the car, so I climbed over the little bluff that he ran in to. Then I saw the fire.

"I knew that I didn't have much time so I started punching the window with my key but couldn't break it...so I jumped up and started throwing rocks at the window and finally broke it," Smith said. "It was no more than 30 seconds after I pulled him out that the semi blew up and engulfed in flames."

The driver, whose identity has not been released yet, was flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he was treated for burns all over his body and possible broken legs, Tennessee Highway Patrol Lt. Jimmy Neal said.

His current condition is not known.

Smith was a football player for the Upperman Bees football team who graduated in 2016. His team had encouraging words to say about his actions.

"Connor- we love you and have always known you were a man of strong character who would go out and make a difference, but your bravery today is an example of how the four pillars of Upperman are embedded into the student athletes," reads the Upperman High Football Booster Club Facebook post. "On behalf of the football program, thank you for making us all proud."